TSPY_MIUREF.K

 Analysis by: Janus Agcaoili

 ALIASES:

Trojan.Win32.VBKryjetor.xga (Kaspersky), Trojan/Win32.Miuref (AhnLab-V3), Trojan.Injector.VB (Malwarebytes)

 PLATFORM:

Windows

 OVERALL RISK RATING:
 DAMAGE POTENTIAL:
 DISTRIBUTION POTENTIAL:
 REPORTED INFECTION:
 INFORMATION EXPOSURE:

  • Threat Type: Spyware

  • Destructiveness: No

  • Encrypted: Yes

  • In the wild: Yes

  OVERVIEW

Infection Channel:

Dropped by other malware

This spyware arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites. It may be downloaded from remote sites by other malware.

It does not have any propagation routine.

It does not have any backdoor routine.

It connects to certain websites to send and receive information.

  TECHNICAL DETAILS

File Size:

207,192 bytes

File Type:

EXE

Memory Resident:

Yes

Initial Samples Received Date:

24 Jan 2016

Payload:

Connects to URLs/IPs

Arrival Details

This spyware arrives on a system as a file dropped by other malware or as a file downloaded unknowingly by users when visiting malicious sites.

It may be downloaded from remote site(s) by the following malware:

  • JS_NEMUCOD.KXYZ
  • JS_NEMUCOD.XYZD

Installation

This spyware drops the following copies of itself into the affected system:

  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{malware file name}.exe

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It drops the following files:

  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{GUID}

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It creates the following folders:

  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It adds the following mutexes to ensure that only one of its copies runs at any one time:

  • {Malware Generated GUID}

Autostart Technique

This spyware adds the following registry entries to enable its automatic execution at every system startup:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random folder name} = "%AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{malware file name}.exe"

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
{random} = "%System%\regsvr32.exe %AppDataLocal%\{random folder}\{random file name}.dll" <-Created autostart for component

Other System Modifications

This spyware adds the following registry keys:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{name based on random folder}

It adds the following registry entries as part of its installation routine:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\{name based on random folder}
{GUID} = "{hex value data}"

Propagation

This spyware does not have any propagation routine.

Backdoor Routine

This spyware does not have any backdoor routine.

Download Routine

This spyware saves the files it downloads using the following names:

  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.dll
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.txt
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.dat
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.idx
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{random file name}.lck

(Note: %AppDataLocal% is the Application Data folder found in Local Settings, where it is usually C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Local Settings\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Local on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

Information Theft

This spyware gathers the following data:

  • Operating system version
  • Device information
  • System boot information
  • Windows Management Instrumentation informations(BIOS,Video Controller,Display Configuration)
  • Processor information

Other Details

This spyware connects to the following URL(s) to check for an Internet connection:

  • http://www.microsoft.com

It connects to the following website to send and receive information:

  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.217.292:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.4.68:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.149.144:443
  • {BLOCKED}.{BLOCKED}.80.172:443

It requires the following additional components to properly run:

  • {Malware Path}\setup.dat
  • %Application Data%\{random folder name 2}\{random}.dat

(Note: %Application Data% is the Application Data folder, where it usually is C:\Documents and Settings\{user name}\Application Data on Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP (32- and 64-bit); C:\Users\{user name}\AppData\Roaming on Windows Vista (32- and 64-bit), Windows 7 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8 (32- and 64-bit), Windows 8.1 (32- and 64-bit), Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012.)

It does the following:

  • Downloads component/configuration/file
  • Can install an extension for Chrome and insert an add-ons for Firefox(this can include click fraud)
  • Receives information for redirection and new connections from C&C servers
  • Reports infection of machine(GUID and Computer name)

  SOLUTION

Minimum Scan Engine:

9.700

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN FILE:

12.300.05

FIRST VSAPI PATTERN DATE:

27 Jan 2016

VSAPI OPR PATTERN File:

12.301.00

VSAPI OPR PATTERN Date:

28 Jan 2016

Step 1

Before doing any scans, Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7 users must disable System Restore to allow full scanning of their computers.

Step 2

Note that not all files, folders, and registry keys and entries are installed on your computer during this malware's/spyware's/grayware's execution. This may be due to incomplete installation or other operating system conditions. If you do not find the same files/folders/registry information, please proceed to the next step.

Step 3

Restart in Safe Mode

[ Learn More ]

Step 4

Delete this registry key

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software
    • {name based on random folder}

Step 5

Delete this registry value

[ Learn More ]

Important: Editing the Windows Registry incorrectly can lead to irreversible system malfunction. Please do this step only if you know how or you can ask assistance from your system administrator. Else, check this Microsoft article first before modifying your computer's registry.

  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {random folder name} = "%AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}\{malware file name}.exe"
  • In HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
    • {random} = "%System%\regsvr32.exe %AppDataLocal%\{random folder}\{random file name}.dll"

Step 6

Search and delete these folders

[ Learn More ]
Please make sure you check the Search Hidden Files and Folders checkbox in the More advanced options option to include all hidden folders in the search result.
  • %AppDataLocal%\{random folder name}

Step 7

Remove malware/grayware files that dropped/downloaded TSPY_MIUREF.K. (Note: Please skip this step if the threats listed below have already been removed.)

    • JS_NEMUCOD.KXYZ
    • JS_NEMUCOD.XYZD

Step 8

Restart in normal mode and scan your computer with your Trend Micro product for files detected as TSPY_MIUREF.K. If the detected files have already been cleaned, deleted, or quarantined by your Trend Micro product, no further step is required. You may opt to simply delete the quarantined files. Please check this Knowledge Base page for more information.


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